1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to dust removal devices and more particularly pertains to portable workstation dust collection attachments which may be adapted for collecting and removing, in combination with a suctioning filter apparatus such as a vacuum cleaner, dust and other airborne particulate matter produced during processing of a workpiece.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of dust removal devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, dust removal devices heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of removing dust from a work area are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
The present invention is directed to improving devices for collecting and removing dust and other airborne particulate matter produced during processing of a workpiece in a manner which is safe, secure, economical and aesthetically pleasing.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,881 to Schmidt discloses a dust exhauster for a precision mechanics work table which can be fitted as a ready connect unit beneath the work top of a conventional work table. For this purpose, the housing is L-shaped, the suction opening being in the front end of the substantially horizontal leg of the housing and the large surface outlet(s) being in the vertical leg of the housing. The housing bounds, in its installed position, the foot knee region for the user of the work area.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,413 to Schmidt et al. describes a work station with suctioning device for the aspiration of suctionable material which is produced during the processing of workpieces, and a protective plate which guides the suctionable material into the suctioning opening. The protective plate concurrently screens the working personnel carrying out the processing, in particular the head of the person, against the incident suctionable material. The protective plate which is carried by a special mounting support can be moved upwardly prior to the implementing of work without the formation of suctionable material, upwardly away from the suctioning opening in a simple manner into a non-hindering inoperative position.
The prior art also discloses a dust collection apparatus as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,977,638 to Best which consists of apparatus for a home workshop to collect wood dust from a plurality of work stations and deposit the dust in a container. There are suction hoses, one to each work station. At their outlet ends, the hoses are connected to a single control means operable to selectively connect one hose at a time to the container.
Other patents of interest are U.S. Pat. No. 3,930,630 to Wulff which describes a vacuum cleaner support apparatus and U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,551 to Ciechanowski et al. which discloses a vacuum wand holder.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a portable workstation dust collection attachment for collecting and removing, in combination with a suctioning filter apparatus such as a vacuum cleaner, dust and other airborne particulate matter produced during processing of a workpiece.
In this respect, the portable workstation dust collection attachment according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of collecting and removing, in combination with a suctioning filter apparatus such as a vacuum cleaner, dust and other airborne particulate matter produced during processing of a workpiece.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new and improved portable workstation dust collection attachments which can be used for collecting and removing dust and other airborne particulate matter produced during processing of a workpiece. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
As illustrated by the background art, efforts are continuously being made in an attempt to develop devices for removing dust from a work area. No prior effort, however, provides the benefits attendant with the present invention. Additionally, the prior patents and commercial techniques do not suggest the present inventive combination of component elements arranged and configured as disclosed and claimed herein.
The present invention achieves its intended purposes, objects, and advantages through a new, useful and unobvious combination of method steps and component elements, with the use of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, and by employing only readily available materials.